Fluid operated diving platform



Aug. 20, 1940; J. G. STEPHENSON v FLUID OPERATED mvme PLATFORM Y Filed April 25, 1939 anism in the'position v is cut off from enteringthe pressure cylinderand Y The present invention has for its Patented Aug. 20, 1940 FLUID- OPERATED DIVING PLATFORM 7 Jay Stephenson, Chattanooga, Tenn.- 4 I v V Application Apr-i125, 1939, Serial,-N0. 2'70,'039' I 9 Claims.

This invention relates broadly to improvements in fluid operated vertically movable platforms or supports and pertains particularly to a novel diving platform for swimmers.

primary object to provide a play device'for use in swimming pools by means of'which a diver, after climbing,

a novel dual valve control mechanism by means onto the platform, will be raised through the operation of automatically operating mechanism, to a predetermined height from-which a dive may be made, after which the platform will be automatically returned to its lowered position so that another diver may make. use of the same.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a fluid operated diving platform arranged or mounted for vertical movement and having associated therewith a novel mechanism whereby when a weight is applied thereto fluidbe brought intooperation to raise pressure, will the platform to a predetermined height and when such predetermined height is reached, such fluid pressure will be shut off and escape means opened so that the pressure of the fluid will be released 7 to permit the platform to return to its normal lowered position.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a structure of the-above described character,

of which apair of valves constituting inlet and exhaust means for the compressedoperating fluidfor the platform, may be simultaneously-ac tuated so that when the inlet valve isopened, the

' exhaustvalve will be shut and vice've'rsa;

, lient features of the invention asexpressed in The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed'descrip-- tion taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming'part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not to be confined toany strict conformity with l the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so longas such changes or modiflc'a-' tions mark no material departure from the sathe appended claims.

'In the drawing:

Fig. 1' isa view in longitudinal section of the the present invenplatform structure embodying tion. I r t Fig. 2 is a view in'elevation of the lower part ofthe structure showing the valve control mech where the operating fluid the fluid within thecylinder may be permitted to escape."

: Fig: 391's a viewl-similar towFig. 2 but showing carry actuating arms 1 I, each of housed in a bearing socket other end passes the controlvalves in the reversed position from Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially onthelihe-k-d of'Fig.,2.

Referring now more particularly to the draw ing, the numeral I generally designates a piston cylinder; the lowerend of which may be closed in any suitable manner but is here shown as.

having a base plate 2coupled therewith by means of the upstanding collar 3 and provided .with openingsl through which suitable securing bolts or other-devices may be passed for maintaining the cylinderin vertical position within a swimmingpool or in any other position Where the platform-is to be used.

In the lower part of the cylinder I there is ex tended through the 'wall of the cylinder the combined fluid inlet and exhaust'pipe 5 which at its outer endis joined-with a pipe 6 which has therein upon opposite sides of the pipe 5," the fluid. inlet and exhaust valves 1 and 8, respectively.

Each of these valves includes a rotary plug 9 hav-,

ing a transversely extending head piece ill, the position of which indicates whether the valve is opened or closed, thehead piece extending lon- 1.

gitudinally of the pipe 6 when the valve is open and transversely thereof when the valve is closed.

Thus it will be seen that in Fig. 2 the valve 1 which controls the flow of fluid toward the pipe 5 and into the cylinder, is shut and the valve 8' or the exhaust valve'is open so that fluid may escape from the cylinder l. The heads 9 of the inlet and exhaust ,valve which has at its outer end a laterally extending pin l2. These arms are arranged to be alwaysin parallel relation and they are coupled together to maintain this relation, by a coupling rod 13, the ends of which are pivotally attached to the arms I I of the valves so that these arms may rockbetween the opened and closed positions for the valves while the rod l3 merely moves along a straight path or, rectilinearly; t

. Extending transversely of the cylinder above] thepipe 6 and perpendicularly thereto, is a rock shaft l4;' one end of which may be suitably of the cylinder l, as shown in Fig. 4, while the through in this figure, Upon the extended or outer end of the rock shaft'llis secured a collar H which carries the oppositely directed crank arms I8 and I9; The arm l8 extendsdownwardly and in substantially the same direction as the valve arms l5 formed in the wall thepacked bearing 16 to the exterior of the cylinder'as is also shown- II and to its lower end is pivotally attached by the pin 20, the ends of a pair of links, each of which is indicated by the numeral 2|. Each of these links has a longitudinally extending slot the bracket 23 while the lower end is pivotally y .coupled with the arm I9, as indicated at 2 5 and an expansion spring 26 which is'inte rposed between the pivoted portion ofsthe pin 24. and

the oscillating bracket 23. normally maintains the rockshaft I4 fame of two positions and is under compression when the;

When the spring 32 is fully expanded, as shown in rock shaft is turned to a position where the cranks. IB and I9 are vertical so' that 'as' 'soon'as these cranks pass the vertical position, the spring can'take control to snap'the'c'ranks and the rock shaft over to one or the'othenof --the two :positions'in which it isshown in 'Figs. 2 and 3'. f The links 2i and the slots 22=are so propor tioned that when the rock-shaftv arms: I8I9 are in either of the two obliquepos'itiohs with re spect to the cylinder Lone valve arm p'in I2 will bein the end of a slot 22 while thel' 'other one will be removed from the outer :end of itsislot, as. shown. The distance between-:thisflatter pin and the outer end of the slot from -whichzit is spaced is such that when the shaft'xi is'is rocked in the direction necessary to';.-move" theilinkicom nected with the latter pin; so asrto shift :thispin into the end of its slot, the link'willi'have free movement on the pin until the. rock shaft I4 'is in its half-way position,'or in= other pwords, until the'cranks I8 and'IS are vertical and-: therspring' 26 is fully compressed. 'Ihenztheisaidxzlatter pin I2 will be disposed in .themouter-end'ofsits slot and when the snap-over mechanism operates. to oscillate the'rock shaft, this latter pinwill be pulled by the adjacent link-to oscillate he ad; jacent'valven to f"; Within the cylinder I- 'thereJisrmOunted upon the rock shaft I4 a thrust-arm, -2I -the outer end of which is connected withca thrustJ-inkiZiZ-w The'actuation of these members-will be-hereinafter more fully'described. a

Within the upper endof themylinder elongated collar or bushing t'iiand this-bushing is secured in place by welding, rivets 10rthelike; Thejtopend of the cylindermaygbe finishedoff with a. cap such as is indicated at 215; and between this cap or the top end of the rcylinderfiif suchi cap is not used, is an-expansion springz32-whichi a tubular rod 35. This rod passes through the cap 3! and 'longitudinallythrough 'theisleeve 3ll to the inner end of -the*=la tter--and terminates in a head 36 whichhas uponyits underface' the threaded recess 31 which is coaxial with thetube.

Opposing the headi36 of' the ,tubulargrod; is a nut 38 which has a'reduced threaded-portion .39-

which extends into the recesses 37:;ofthe-head' and this nut clamps'againstwth'e lower end'of the' sleeve and the "head '36, af-cup washer' iii a'nda'ri annular plate 4|. Th'ejcup wash-en con stitutes a. piston which slides withi .the""'iston'- cylinder'L; -t 13 thereto is a stop plate 46 for the piston 48. This This expansion spring "the resistance of the spring 32 and-willmovef The nut 38 has a central passage 42 there-.

through and extendin through this passage is a I coup-ling rod 43, the upper end of which passes into the tubular rod 35 and carries a head 44' which is of sufficient size to prevent the upper 5 y end of the rod being drawn through the passage 42 of the'nut 38. The lower'end of this coupling rod 43 extends into the piston cylinder I and has a foot piece 45 secured thereto to which is pivotally attached the thrust link 28. The connection between the thrust link and the foot piece 35 is oif center with respect to the longitudinal center of the coupling rod.

Surrounding the coupling rod 43 and fixed plate is apertured as shown, so that fluid employed for moving the piston, whether the same be air or water, may pass through and exert pressurev against the underside of the piston.

Fig. '1, there Will -be a space between the piston 48 and the stop plate 46 and when the parts jaref in the position shown so that the thrust arm 2ft is extending upwardly within the piston cylinder, the valvesnap-over mechanism will beinthe positionin Which it is shownin Fig. 2 that is, withthe inlet valve- 1 closed and theoi tlt valve 8.0pened. The operation of the present mechanism is as follows: When the parts are in the positionshown in ,Fig. l, itwill be assumed that if the device is placed, within 'a swimming pool, the platform $3 will be near the surface of the water'so that a. diver may easilyv get thereon. As previously stated,v the .fluid inlet control valve 1 will be closed and the outlet valve8 will be opened. If a weight is now placed upon the platform; 3,; as; for example, a diver getting onto the platform, the sleeve 30 will be forced down-against.

stop plate is secured to thecoupling rod 61 3, this will .force the coupling rod down and will actuate the arm and .link mechanism '2l-28-to rock the shaft I4 against the resistance of the snap-over springlfi As the shaft arms lfl lil swing. past vertical or center position where the spring 25. will be fullytcompressed asp-reviously-explained, the link ZI- which is coupled with the arm .of, 1 theputlet valve8, will engage the'adjacen pin. I,2, in. the outer. end of its slot andas thegspr 26;,expandsso as to snap the arms I8 and I9 the -piston 49 against, the stop plate 46. Asv th ,to the opposite oblique position with respect ;to the cylinderythe' outlet valve plug will be oscillated so as to shut this valve. At the same time, ;mo.- tionwill be transmitted through the rod I3 to the'arm II of the inlet valve 'L toswingthe plug of this valve toopened position. This will allow fluid to flow-into the cylinder -I through the pipe; E-and' cause the piston and platform 33.to be raised. 1 3 The ,length of the coupling rod 43 is so pro portionedthat as the piston nears the top of; its stroke under the influence of the inflowing; fluid, the coupling rod head 44 will be engaged by theupper side of the nut 38 andan upward pull will then be transmittedto the coupling redid-3; so as to reversely rock the shaft I4 through the medium-of the parts 21 and '28to actuatethe snap-over mechanism for the valves so as to 're;- verse the operation above described in-c'cnnection. with the actuation of the valve arms by the links? to return the valves to the position where the inlet valve will be closed andvtheoutlet; valve will' be opened; This will permit the fluid-within 7 the. cylindersbeneath; the piston: Ml to-escape' and the piston andrplatformi.tosreturn to its normal loWeredit-position Where.:it. will be held-by the spring .32 in theimanneri i'llustratedinlFig. 1.. 5i; :It"willcbeundersto'od,offcourse, that thediver being raised by the: platform 33 may. dive therefrom at: any. timeiibefore'theplatform reaches the' upper-ilimit of .itsmovement and if the diver leaves the platform :before the .upper limit is reachednthe platformi'--will continue to rise until.

of support forthe' sleeve'whenthe piston reaches the top of its movement so as to prevent any tipping or swaying of the platform and sleeve asmight iresult'if' the piston were permitted to go'- entirely to the end-of the cylinder and the sleeve did nothave suchf an enclosing guide.

3% What is claimed is:

1, In a structure of the character described, a platform, means supporting the platform for vertical-movement, fluid pressure actuated mechanism fori imp'artin'g upward movement to said means,.means -for shutting off the application of first means reaches' a' fluid pressure when said predeterminedelevatedposition and for simultaneously relieving the fluid pressure by which the platform was raised, fluid pressure mayagain be applied for the raising of the platform supporting means by the application of downward pressure to the platform when the latter has been restored to its normal lowered position.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a vertically movable body, a fluid actuated piston connected with said body, a platform supported by the. body, a cylinder for the piston, means for conducting fluid into the cylinder beneath the piston, an inlet control valve for said means, means for exhausting fluid pressure from the cylinder, mechanism connected with said.

valve and said last means which when actuated will effect the simultaneous opening of the valve and closing of the exhaust means or opening of the exhaust means and closing of said valve, means operating upon the application of a weight to the platform for the actuation of said mechanism to open said valve and close said exhaust means, and means operating upon the movement of said piston upwardly to a predetermined position for actuating said mechanism to close said valve and open said exhaust means.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a fluid actuated platform supported for vertical movement, valve controlled means for effecting the upward movement of the platform by fluid pressure, valve controlled means for exhausting the fluid pressure for the lowering of the platform, means resiliently supporting the platform in a lowered position, means operating upon the compression of the resilient supporting means by the application of a weight to the platform to eifect the operation of the first-mentioned valve control means to apply fluid pressure for the forced out-of the cylinder will be closed, and

and means by which said raising of the platformcand: .toisimultaneously actuate the second-mentioned-pvalve controlled.

means of or atheshutting off A .of the exhausting of the fluidpressure, and means operating upon the movement; of :c-thetplatform to \a predetermined raisedmposition :to open the valve controlled fluid exhaustimeans and fluid pressuredapplying means.

.4." Astructure ofuthev character described, comprising 1a Ivertically' disposed: cylinder, a piston withincthe cylinder, a platform disposed above the cylinder-Land connected with said piston, re-

silientllmeans'normally maintaining the platform in spaced relation with the cylinder when the platform'fls in lowered position, a valve controlled fiuid -inlet for the. cylinder beneath the piston,"a valve controlled fluid outlet for the cylinder :7 beneathzthe "piston; means coupling the vallvcs'of the fluiddnletand outlet for simultaneous movement, one of said valves being opened while the other o'ne is closed, means actuated by the piston upon thedownward movement of the platform against said resilient supporting means to effect the actuation of the valve "connecting meanswhereby the fluid inlet valve will be opened and the fluid outlet valve means engaged and actuated bythepiston upon its upward movement to a predetermined position for reversely actuating' the 'valve: connecting means whereby the fluid inlet "valve willbe closed andthefluid outlet valve-willbeiopened.

5."A"diving' platform, comprising a platform body, aver-tically arranged elongated supporting means forv the'body having vertical rectilinear movement, fluid means for effecting the-straight upward'movem'ent f the supporting means to a predetermined height, means facilitating the lowering of the supporting means by relief of said fluid means to a predetermined lowered,

position, means operating upon the application of a weight to the body when the latter is in its lowered position whereby the said fluid means for raising the supporting means and platform will be made effective, and means operating upon movement of the platform to the said predetermined raised position for effecting the stopping of the upward movement of the platform and making operative the said means facilitating the lowering of the platformto the said predetermined lowered position.

6. A diving platform structure, vertically disposed cylinder, a sleeve vertically reciprocable in the upper part of the cylinder and projecting beyond the top'thereof, a tubular rod extending longitudinally through the sleeve, a platform secured at the upper end of the rod, a piston secured to the lower end of the rod and to said sleeve, said rod being open at its lower end into the lower part of the cylinder, a fluid pipe line leading into the lower part of the cylinder, a control valve for said pipe line, a fluid outlet leading from the lower part of the cylinder, a valve controlling said outlet, means coupling said valves for simultaneous movement, one of said valves being open when the other one is closed, a rod within the cylinder having an end extending into said tubular rod, a stop body secured to said last rod beneath said piston and normally in spaced relation therewith, a rock shaft in the lower part of the cylinder connected with said valve coupling means, and a link connection between said rock shaft and said last-mentioned rod, said piston when forced downwardly against said. stop actuating said link comprising a to close, the valve controlled,

mechanism to vshift said fluid inlet and outlet valves respectively to open and closed positions, and stop means carried upon said last rod for engagement by the piston when the platform is moved upwardly to a predetermined position for shifting said rock shaft to a position where said fluidinlet and outlet valves will be shifted respectively to closed and opened positions.

diving-..platform of the character described, comprising a vertically disposed cylinder, a piston in said, cylinder, a tubular rod extending upwardl'y'from the piston and opening at its lower end through the piston into the cylinder, a platform upon the upper end of the rod, resilient means maintaining the platform in a predetermined lowered position, a fluid inlet control valvefor thealowerlend of the cylinder, a fluid outletcontrol valve-for the lower end of the cylinder,'- coupling"means for said valves whereby the same willoperate simultaneously, one of said valves-beingopened when the other one is closed, arock-shaftextending transversely through the cylinders-below the piston, a linkage mechanism coupling therock shaft with the valves, an actuating rodlongitudinally. reciprocable in the cylinder and extending into said tubular rod, coupling means between the lower end of said actuatingrod, and the rock shaft, stop means upon thejactuatingrod engaged by the piston upon movement ofthe' platform downwardly against said resilient means to actuate the linkage mechanism to a position where the fluid inlet and exposition where the fluid inlet and exhaust valves:-

will be respectively closed and opened.

8. A device of the tending from the upper end-of the cylinder, means for conducting fluid under pressure into the cylinder beneath the piston and for conductcylinder, valves controlling: the in-flow and out-flow of fluid throughsaid' ing fluid out of the conducting means, and mechanism op'eratively coupled with the piston which is so constructed and arranged as to actuate the valves upon tap-- to the piston-when'it is, down, to establish in-fiow of'fluidto the cylinder plication of pressure permit out-flow of fluid from the cylinder when' the piston reaches a predetermined raised posi-' tion. 7 c

9. A device of the character described, comprising a vertical cylinder, a-platformsupporting piston reciprocable therein, a valve con-' versely shifted to JAY G. STEPHENSON.

character described, com prising a vertical cy1inder, a piston in andex-v 

